Power Nodes

fleggflegg Join Date: 2012-06-06 Member: 152981Members
edited November 2012 in NS2 General Discussion
<div class="IPBDescription">why this game failed</div>Power nodes.

Can we seriously put a big ###### sign on your screen that says "ARE YOU SURE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA? PS THINK HARD RETARD" when you are chewing on a power node that's not in a base.

Balancing competitive and pub play simultaneously has always been a daunting task in NS (despite some other threads on here making this out to be some sort of new revelation). However, some genius developer decided to put in a mechanic that's sole purpose seems to be to bait and trap noob aliens. The consequences of this are devastating. You lose teammates in a teamwork based game, you frustrate noobs, you befuddle noob commanders, and you collect data & statistics aimed at balancing the game that are inherently ###### because the data would have gone in a much different direction had a couple of meat-bags not been chewing a power node.

And what really, really, really, really, irritates me about this power node situation is that in 18+ man servers if you don't build a shift in the first 4 minutes you might as well go ###### yourself with eggs in real life as well because you've lost the game - courtesy of the skulks that keep chewing on power nodes over and over again despite the fact that they don't have any sort of cover. Did the developers intend this? Did they not want to give the alien comm any creativity by denying them the option to choose shade, crag, or neither (and build lerk eggs or something)?
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Comments

  • DawormDaworm Join Date: 2009-06-22 Member: 67900Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2029507:date=Nov 20 2012, 02:03 PM:name=flegg)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (flegg @ Nov 20 2012, 02:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029507"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><snip><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    The amount of games I've won on 18+ slot servers as aliens with shift as first hive... well. I need more than my fingers and toes to count.


    So yeah... perhaps you need to find a higher quality of player-group?
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  • douchebagatrondouchebagatron Custom member title Join Date: 2003-12-20 Member: 24581Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Why don't you just educate the people that do this?
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  • fleggflegg Join Date: 2012-06-06 Member: 152981Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2029509:date=Nov 19 2012, 08:05 PM:name=Daworm)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Daworm @ Nov 19 2012, 08:05 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029509"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The amount of games I've won on 18+ slot servers as aliens with shift as first hive... well. I need more than my fingers and toes to count.


    So yeah... perhaps you need to find a higher quality of player-group?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    wtf? Well I definitely need a higher quality of reading comprehension-group to read my posts. The whole point is power nodes are bad for noobs, not for vets. And I'm think you meant to say with shift NOT as first hive?
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  • Katana314Katana314 Join Date: 2012-11-03 Member: 166379Members
    Yeah, I sort of learned on my own that they're largely not worth the time unless it's some built-up base. It's kind of the same amount of time to destroy it as it is to repair it, so it's mainly an instantaneous weakpoint in combat, to disable phase gates and such. Honestly, in those cases I sometimes just attack the phase gate, because then I'll see any marines that try to come through.

    I wonder though; I can't really think of too many ways to convince newbies not to attack a particular marine building simply because it's not a great use of time. I'd really prefer such learning to happen through the game, rather than through players yelling at each other.
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  • twincannontwincannon Join Date: 2011-06-14 Member: 104459Members
    dat 15 score
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  • ShahnazShahnaz Join Date: 2012-11-12 Member: 170201Members
    Someone did something I don't like?

    Better complain on the forums about how this game has failed.
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  • DawormDaworm Join Date: 2009-06-22 Member: 67900Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2029514:date=Nov 20 2012, 02:11 PM:name=flegg)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (flegg @ Nov 20 2012, 02:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029514"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->wtf? Well I definitely need a higher quality of reading comprehension-group to read my posts. The whole point is power nodes are bad for noobs, not for vets. And I'm think you meant to say with shift NOT as first hive?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah "not"... d'oh.
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  • minos_minos_ Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165722Members
    Do what I do- when you are chomping an extractor and your teammate heads for the power node, hit your mic key, and tell him, "Hey, <name>, you should hit the extractor instead. It takes just as much time, but they can rebuild the power for free and the extractor costs them money." I'd guess 75-85% of the time, they go, "Oh, thanks minos" and come bite the extractor instead.

    <!--quoteo(post=2029524:date=Nov 19 2012, 09:15 PM:name=twincannon)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (twincannon @ Nov 19 2012, 09:15 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029524"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->dat 15 score<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Fun bug! It says +15, you really get +30. If you looooove seeing your name at the top of the scoreboard and hate your teammates, go chew some power!
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  • hartrafthartraft Join Date: 2010-07-16 Member: 72468Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2029571:date=Nov 20 2012, 03:14 PM:name=minos_)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (minos_ @ Nov 20 2012, 03:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029571"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Do what I do- when you are chomping an extractor and your teammate heads for the power node, hit your mic key, and tell him, "Hey, <name>, you should hit the extractor instead. It takes just as much time, but they can rebuild the power for free and the extractor costs them money." I'd guess 75-85% of the time, they go, "Oh, thanks minos" and come bite the extractor instead.



    Fun bug! It says +15, you really get +30. If you looooove seeing your name at the top of the scoreboard and hate your teammates, go chew some power!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    People say time is money. Does the time it takes to rebuild the power factor in anywhere? Actually curious not trolling.

    Edit: And this is assuming you take out the extractor first and then think "well may as well get the power"
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  • minos_minos_ Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165722Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2029575:date=Nov 19 2012, 10:17 PM:name=hartraft)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (hartraft @ Nov 19 2012, 10:17 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029575"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->People say time is money. Does the time it takes to rebuild the power factor in anywhere? Actually curious not trolling.

    Edit: And this is assuming you take out the extractor first and then think "well may as well get the power"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Power takes a bit longer to build than an extractor, but not significantly. If you have a welder, I think it might actually be faster or as fast to repair the power. I haven't timed it though.

    I do think it's "less bad" if you get the extractor first and then the power, especially if it is somewhere aliens might expand to later, but it's still not good. Generally, in the time it takes to chew on power you can go somewhere else and take down most of another extractor as well- I always cringe when we take down Overlook and then my support is chewing power so we fail to take Skylights. Time is still money, even for aliens, and you can be doing a lot more damage somewhere else than you would standing there chomping the power.
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  • ShahnazShahnaz Join Date: 2012-11-12 Member: 170201Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2029571:date=Nov 19 2012, 08:14 PM:name=minos_)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (minos_ @ Nov 19 2012, 08:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029571"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Do what I do- when you are chomping an extractor and your teammate heads for the power node, hit your mic key, and tell him, "Hey, <name>, you should hit the extractor instead. It takes just as much time, but they can rebuild the power for free and the extractor costs them money." I'd guess 75-85% of the time, they go, "Oh, thanks minos" and come bite the extractor instead.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    There's also the ''pro'' player saying that powernodes are more important to get first because........ F4.

    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->People say time is money. Does the time it takes to rebuild the power factor in anywhere? Actually curious not trolling.

    Edit: And this is assuming you take out the extractor first and then think "well may as well get the power"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It's not significant enough to waste 30 seconds of your time. It's usually better leaving the power up so that marines can get another extractor faster... so you can destroy it faster. Just wait for the marine to start building the extractor, kill him, destroy extractor.

    Rince, repeat, profit.
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  • Onii-chanOnii-chan Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7164Members
    Another day, another entitled casual screaming inane nonsense on the forum.

    Just like the old times.
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  • unkindunkind Join Date: 2012-02-04 Member: 143563Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2029836:date=Nov 20 2012, 04:39 AM:name=Onii-chan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Onii-chan @ Nov 20 2012, 04:39 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029836"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->entitled casual<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    rofl, is this wow?


    Power nodes really are kinda stupid, take them out of the game or add more reasons for them to exist imo. Or add a tip explaining how you want to ignore them most of them time i dunno
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  • HeatSurgeHeatSurge Some Guy Join Date: 2012-09-15 Member: 159438Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    ^ roflcopter. They actually DID add a tip xD . Hopefully it'll help with the stupidity. As the player base gets more experienced in the game, issues like these will disappear though.
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  • Onii-chanOnii-chan Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7164Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2029863:date=Nov 20 2012, 12:14 PM:name=unkind)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (unkind @ Nov 20 2012, 12:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029863"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Power nodes really are kinda stupid, take them out of the game or add more reasons for them to exist imo. Or add a tip explaining how you want to ignore them most of them time i dunno<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    "Protoss Pylons really are kinda stupid, take them out of the game or add more reasons for them to exist."
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  • unkindunkind Join Date: 2012-02-04 Member: 143563Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2029873:date=Nov 20 2012, 05:27 AM:name=Onii-chan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Onii-chan @ Nov 20 2012, 05:27 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029873"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->"Protoss Pylons really are kinda stupid, take them out of the game or add more reasons for them to exist."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    people use pylons to wall, to gate stuff in, for vision, and to warp stuff in

    pretty sure they have a lot more uses than, wait for it... "power the room"
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  • YuukiYuuki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75079Members
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The "pylon argument" was already used to defend the power nodes, it is kind of funny, when you think how stupid stracraft would be with pre-build pylons all over the map.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I agree there should be a tip popping out when you bite powernodes: "bitting powernode? what a noob..."
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  • NeokenNeoken Bruges, Belgium Join Date: 2004-03-20 Member: 27447Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester
    So some players are bad, and that's the game's fault?

    Another useless thread...
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  • HeatSurgeHeatSurge Some Guy Join Date: 2012-09-15 Member: 159438Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    <!--quoteo(post=2029880:date=Nov 20 2012, 03:39 AM:name=Yuuki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yuuki @ Nov 20 2012, 03:39 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029880"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I agree there should be a tip popping out when you bite powernodes: "bitting powernode? what a noob..."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I think powernodes should talk like MACs do, and maybe have arms and legs, or make a sad face when they're bit.

    Possible lines could include any from this non-conclusive list:
    - Don't bite me, næb.
    - You sure you don't have a better target?
    - Marines can rebuild me for free, læwlz.
    - Don't touch the win button!
    - Get tu da pawah!
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  • YuukiYuuki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75079Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2029889:date=Nov 20 2012, 11:49 AM:name=HeatSurge)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HeatSurge @ Nov 20 2012, 11:49 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029889"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think powernodes should talk like MACs do, and maybe have arms and legs, or make a sad face when they're bit.

    Possible lines could include any from this non-conclusive list:
    - Don't bite me, næb.
    - You sure you don't have a better target?
    - Marines can rebuild me for free, læwlz.
    - Don't touch the win button!
    - Get tu da pawah!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    Brilliant ! That would fix the problem and add a lot of character to the game.
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  • LofungLofung Join Date: 2004-08-21 Member: 30757Members
    i say we need electricify back. we just need more retardation test. to be honest
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  • cryptcrypt Join Date: 2004-04-22 Member: 28091Members, Constellation
    Saying that the game failed because of it is a bit harsh. What I personally would like to see and I suggested this in previous threads:

    Link power-nodes to the rt in the room. You can build them but not destroy with attacks. Instead, if the rt gets destroyed an excess voltage happens and the power-node goes down automatically. As a backup they are also chained to CCs so you don't lose your base by loosing the rt.
    Rebuilding destroyed power-nodes should be faster again aswell.

    Tadaa, no more noob-traps and game gets faster again aswell!
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  • jakthereitirksjakthereitirks Join Date: 2012-11-20 Member: 172547Members
    ###### i could of told you this when the engine test was released
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  • fleggflegg Join Date: 2012-06-06 Member: 152981Members
    let's not forget the fact that when you are chewing the power you also put yourself in just about the most vulnerable position possible
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  • VeNeMVeNeM Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 928Members
    build 231 -
    add power nodes to floor and ceiling for balance
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  • RokiyoRokiyo A.K.A. .::FeX::. Revenge Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1471Members, Constellation
    build 232 -
    commanders can now construct additional power nodes
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  • VeNeMVeNeM Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 928Members
    build 233 -

    due to build 232 power node change making power nodes unbalanced, aliens can now build power nodes too.
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  • TimariusTimarius Join Date: 2012-11-15 Member: 171220Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2029977:date=Nov 20 2012, 05:42 AM:name=VeNeM)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VeNeM @ Nov 20 2012, 05:42 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2029977"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->build 233 -

    due to build 232 power node change making power nodes unbalanced, aliens can now build power nodes too.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Alien power nods non-functional other than to block Marine power nodes. Comes with adorable voice mocking Marines.
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  • VeNeMVeNeM Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 928Members
    cant wait for this build!
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  • JektJekt Join Date: 2012-02-05 Member: 143714Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited November 2012
    Power nodes are awful, always have been. The argument against them has been made countless times in the past. They're in for the atmospherics of its light switch function and instant win potential.
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